This invention relates to the field of medical devices, and more particularly to a traction device adjustment mechanism and method.
Humans have long dealt with the pain, aggravation and loss of productivity arising from spinal injuries, particularly those to the low back. Most people at some point in their lives will be incapacitated by lower back pain which has become the second leading cause of pain next to headaches. The relative ease with which injuries to the spine and supporting musculature are incurred, as well as the debilitating effects of even slight injuries, merely adds to the overall severity of the problem of dealing with spinal injuries. The forms of treatment vary over the length of time that the patient experiences pain. Eighty percent of low back pain suffers will heal over six weeks with minimal intervention. However, the remaining twenty percent of sufferers create the greatest challenges and cost to the medical system. After the acute phase, surgical intervention or more invasive forms of treatment may be selected. Minimal or non-invasive treatment methods are however preferred by patients before electing to surgical methods.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a length adjustment device for a belt having first and second portions each connected to and moveable with respect to a back portion includes a strap having opposite ends coupled to the first and second portion. The strap has a binding section operable to bind portions of the strap together. The device also includes a strap guide coupled to the back portion and operable to guide the strap such that movement of the first and second portions away from the back portion causes detachment of portion of the binding section. The detachment of portions of the binding section restricts relative motion of the first and second front portions.
According to another embodiment of the invention, a method for adjusting the length of a belt having first and second front portions and a back portion, the first and second front portions each moveable with respect to the back portion, includes attaching opposite ends of a strap to each of the front two portions. The strap includes a middle bonding section bound together. The method further includes coupling the strap to the back portion between the opposite ends such that movement of the first and second front portions away from the back portion causes detachment of portions of the middle bonding section and moving each of the two front portions away from the back portion.
Particular embodiments of the present invention provide one or more technical advantages. For example, certain embodiments provide a traction device that may be worn by a user to reduce the compressive forces on the user""s spine by transferring the user""s upper body weight off of the spine to the user""s hips. In particular, the decompressive forces generated by the device may be concentrated on the lower spine of the user, an area that may be commonly injured due to compressive forces. The traction device may also provide stabilization of the torso to prevent additional compressive forces in the spine due to bending and lifting by the user. Moreover, traction devices of the present invention may be used in association with other joints of the body, such as the knee or neck. Furthermore, particular embodiments provide a traction device that is ambulatory, meaning that the device is portable and wearable during the user""s daily activities. This ambulatory nature of the device provides more convenience to the user and causes less impact on the user""s daily activities than previous treatment techniques.
Other embodiments allow adjustment of such a traction device, or other devices, that result in a proper fit of the traction device. When used with a traction device that includes a plurality of lifters, proper orientation of the lifters may be maintained because adjustment of front portions of a belt relative to the back portion results in equal movement of both portions. This avoids problems associated with pulling one side of the belt farther than the opposite side. In addition, a macro adjustment to such a belt made me made in a relatively full-proof fashion, which provides a custom fit to individual users even though such a belt may be mass-produced.
Other technical advantages may be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following figures, description and claims.